Thursday, September 24, 2009

There is nothing about this that doesn't reek.

One of the most ridiculous things about this whole mess are the outrageous and wholly meaningless declarations that both sides are making. Empty words, that's all these people know how to say.

On the one hand we have Zelaya, still holed up in the Embassy, talking about how he's trapped and helpless. That he is willing to hold a dialogue. With whom? What, you think he would say? HA. And did he forget that he put himself in this situation? No one forced him inside the Embassy--HE WENT THERE HIMSELF. He is the one that compromised the Brazilian government and forced them into a situation that they had barely touched in the past.

It's not surprising, really. Zelaya's stance through all this is to play the helpless victim, who has done nothing to deserve such treatment. It's the other side that's completely irrational and not budging in their stance. It's always the other side. It's never his own fault. And yet he's sitting happy, yelling meaningless populist slogans, not offering a single reasonable solution other than "WAH WAH LET ME BE PRESIDENT AGAIN". Not only that, but he's also still insisting on harsher measures against Honduras on the part of the international community. He's asking for the elections to be ignored by the larger world. WHAT DOES THIS ACCOMPLISH? Almost all the monetary help from the international community here goes to the poorest sections of the population--the very people Zelaya claims to be fighting for. I think this is the most infuriating part of Zelaya's stance. Money for the roads? Gives work to poor laborers. Money for education? Gives poor children schools. Money for food? It's not Micheletti and the "elite" who is suffering from want of food, Mr. Zelaya. And the fact that his supporters seem to be completely blinded to this (what with his constant cries of RAH RAH MICHELETTI HURTS THE PEOPLE! DOWN WITH THE RICHIES!).

And really, there is NO reason for Zelaya to change the tune of his song. It's working. His supporters are still as many, they're still as angry as they ever were. They fight the police, they look bad, they claim to be victims. But Zelaya himself isn't hurting. He can afford to keep riling them on and not offer any sort of solution to this problem. Why change what has been working for him for as long as he's been President?

To get back to my larger point.

On the other hand, we have the current government. What have they been doing since Zelaya returns? They've been in meetings. They issue their empty declarations in national broadcasts that don't announce a goddamn concrete thing.

Such and such a group supports the current government! blah blah blah!Such and such a group believes in democracy! blah blah blah!We are open for dialogue but will not say a single thing about plans or actual ideas of what's going to be discussed! or by whom! blah blah blah!Curfew for no reason at all ! security! blah blah blah!

It's insanity. Nothing but empty air and the very same strategy that Zelaya is using. Rile up their supporters by painting Zelaya's supporters as nothing but savages with no ideologies (and like it or not, there are PLENTY of people supporting Zelaya who have very clear views on what they stand for). Keep throwing dirt on everything they do. Keep blaming other countries for letting Zelaya come in, instead of actually doing something about it. You know why people panicked and emptied the supermarkets and gas stations yesterday? Because no one had ANY IDEA of what was going to happen today, or tomorrow. Would another curfew be issued? NO ONE KNEW. And when people don't know, and they hear rumors and crazy stories going around, and their actual government isn't saying anything about what might happen in the future, they PANIC. And yesterday was a perfect example of this. It was complete chaos.

They make declarations on how the rest of the world should let Hondurans work out their differences, which is just the biggest joke of all because the ONLY people offering ANY solutions or plans are...OTHER COUNTRIES. They're asking for dialogue and who's going to conduct it? The OAS, of course. Because God forbid the government makes any kind of decision to back down and antagonize either group. And again, it´s not Micheletti who is suffering the consequences of international pressure. What the hell does he care? He's a millionaire businessman and so are all his close allies. They can keep pretending like Honduras can survive without assistance until the end of time. It's not them who will be starving.

So what happens?

The "resistance" has a march. For what, exactly? They ask for Zelaya's return. What do they think will happen if he is let back? What then? Everything's forgiven? The country will be rich and prosperous--as it's never been before? They disobey the curfew knowing full well that the police will scatter them. They carry sticks and stones, molotov cocktails. Set fire to cars and buses and expect the police to do nothing about it? Like it or not there are some in their midst who ARE violent. The police is needlessly violent as well. It's a stupid, meaningless, useless circle that does nothing but widen the margin between Zelaya's supporters and Micheletti's--between social classes, really. And it does nothing, nothing at all.

The government supporters have a march. They are (amusingly enough) GUARDED by the police so that the "resistance won't affect them". And let's face it--a large chunk of the people in this particular march are upper middle class and upper classes. The "leaders" are people who throw away millions in weddings and 15 birthday parties. We've all seen them before, and to see them pretending to be part of the people is just insulting. That's why I don't go to the marches, even though most of my friends are there. It's the same as Zelaya claiming he's one of the people. So they make empty declarations. They cry out against Chavez. They want Zelaya to give himself up to the authorities--WHAT AUTHORITIES? Do they really think this is in any way feasible or reasonable and not completely fucking stupid?

It's just so completely empty. Meaningless. Both sides blame each other, they get more entrenched in their stances and don't budge an inch. They propose no actual solutions. The pro-Zelaya channel insults and lies. The pro-Micheletti channels insults and lies. Each of their marches is righteous and good. The other side is evil and eats children.

And I sit here, in complete disgust at the lies people buy wholeheartedly. While the people in power sit happy and unaffected, happy to let the days go by while the actual people go to pieces and beat each other over nothing. They can spout their meaningless messages, offering no solutions, offering no plans.

How's this going to end? Will it? I don't see any side actually backing down and being reasonable. But again, they don't have to be. They're happy going along with what has worked for them in the past.

It's so sad, and so infuriating. I can't even watch the news anymore, because no one is unbiased. There's no one to trust in the media, and it's nauseating to watch them spout their lies as mouth pieces for either side.

Ugh. This is likely to get worse before it gets any better.

**UPDATE**

An example!

Micheletti is interviewed by CNN.

CNN Interviewer: What are the chances of there being a direct dialogue between you and Mr. Zelaya?Micheletti: WE WILL HAVE ELECTIONS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY.

6 comments:

Ms. Figueroa,You would be doing aservice for your country and hours if you would submit this blog entry directly to the Huffington Post website (thehuffingtonpost.com). They are staunch believers in citizen journalists and your first hand account of what is happening there would, I am quite certain, be a welcome addition to their Honduras news page. I am dead seious. People in this country need the facts as only someone like yourself can deliver them. If you submit it, I will shout it to the rooftops.Do it for me (because I'm so proud of you) and do it for your country.

I wonder what you think of Micheletti's latest piece of fascism (ie. his state of siege). Do you think Zelaya's supporters have a right to congregate? Or are both sides just as bad as each other? I say enough of this political ambivalence - which side do you ultimately come down on?

I haven't visited in a while, but it's distressing to come back after a couple months and find you still whining about how both Zelaya and Micheletti are dysfunctional, political idiots. Well, duh, if either were politically astute, Honduras wouldn't be where it is now.

I'm sorry, I don't get this. Reinstate Zelaya, put him on trial like he should have been in June,(*) and be done with it. If he's guilty of all the things Micheletti accused him of his 10 minute rant last Wednesday if front of half the world, then send him to jail. If not, let him sue for damages. Oh, and try Micheletti for his multiple 'infringements' of the constitution.

(*) Oh and Congress' vote to remove him was unconstitutional as well. Try them after Micheletti. You must have lawyers who would love to do all this.

About Me

Originally from Honduras, I now live in Dallas, TX. I am a geek and a bit of a doofus. I become easily obsessed with things, particularly with TV shows, books and movies. I have a deep and abiding love for all things ridiculous, specially when they are unintentionally so. I get passionate and emotional about silly things. And I write about them here.